The Men of Politics!

By Manuwant Choudhary

Voting for Lok Sabha elections in India have yet to begin but two candidates have already won.

The electronic voting machine and the numbers they ultimately churn out do not matter.

Yes, these are the real Men of Indian politics.

Meera Sanyal, a banker of 25 years, contests the South Bombay parliamentary seat as an independent. She says the terror attack on Bombay forced her to throw her job and take the plunge.

And Mallika Sarabhai, a classical bharatnatyam dancer and activist, takes on the Iron Man PM-in-waiting L.K. Advani in Gandhinagar.

She says she represents not just Gandhinagar but all those farmers whose land the government wants to take away for SEZs.

Iron Man L.K. Advani is of course supported by Platinum Man Narendra Modi and this dancer takes on communalism right at the top.

At her website she asks Mr. Advani 5 questions everyday. Sample this, "In the last five years how many questions have you raised in parliament on Gandhinagar?"

And there is a third hero I would have voted for but she is not contesting - Shobha De (post 11/26).

She writes in her column, " Meera going into the slums of Bombay to convince voters maybe like throwing pearls before swines."

These are the Men of Indian Politics, not the wolly liberals who support them.